Irtysh

The Irtysh River, known as Irtysh in Russian and Ertis or Ertish in Kazakh, is a major river in Eurasia. It originates in the Altai Mountains near the boundary region where China, Kazakhstan and Russia meet and flows generally northwest, crossing Kazakhstan and entering Russia, where it courses through western Siberia before joining the Ob River.

The Irtysh is about 4,000 kilometers (roughly 2,500 miles) long, and its drainage basin covers around 1.6 million square kilometers. The basin spans diverse landscapes, from montane regions to steppe and taiga, supporting agricultural, industrial and urban development along its course.

Geographically, the river passes several important population centers, including Omsk in Russia and Pavlodar in Kazakhstan. It is used for irrigation, municipal water supply and hydroelectric power, and it serves as a transportation corridor in parts of its lower reaches.

Environmental issues affect the Irtysh in some areas, with water quality and ecological health influenced by industrial activity, mining, and agricultural runoff. Management efforts focus on monitoring water quality, sustaining ecosystems, and balancing economic uses with conservation.

In various languages the river is named differently: Irtysh in Russian, Ertis or Ertish in Kazakh, and Erqisi He in Chinese. The Irtysh has historical significance as a conduit for trade and cultural exchange across the Eurasian steppe and into Siberia, contributing to the development of the regions it traverses.